ISDEI Instituto de Seguridad, Defensa y Estudios Internacionales

An aerial view shows the Mistral-class helicopter carrier Vladivostok constructed for Russia at the STX Les Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard site in the port of Montoir-de-Bretagne near Saint Nazaire, western France, September 22, 2014. (Reuters/Stephane Mahe) Russia will make financial claims to France if the first of two Mistral helicopter carriers is not delivered by the end of November, an anonymous high-ranking source told RIA Novosti, adding that the sum of the forfeit will be revealed. "We are preparing for different scenarios. We are waiting until the end of the month [the fulfillment of Mistral deal], then we will make serious claims," the source said on condition of anonymity. According to the source, experts are currently analyzing possible damage to Russia if the deal is not fulfilled, and the estimated sum will be made public. "This amount [of compensation] will not be secret," the source added. In the meantime, another Russian source in the spher...

400 billion dollar 40 year oil and gas deal between China and Russia is a response to the new cold war pressure and sanctions on Russia says Michael Hudson, Distinguished Research Professor of Economics at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. SHARMINI PERIES, EXEC. PRODUCER, TRNN: Welcome to The Real News Network. I’m Sharmini Peries, coming to you from Baltimore. During this year a number of governments applied sanctions against Russia for its involvement in the alleged pro-Russian unrest in the Ukraine. Sanctions against Russia were applied by many countries, with the United States and the European Union taking a lead. In retaliation, Russia has responded with sanctions against a number of countries, including a total ban on food imports from the European Union, United States, Norway, Canada, and Australia. What does all of this mean to Europe, the United States, and the geopolitical reconfigurations on trade pacts? Here to discuss all of this is Michael Hudson. Michael is comin...

By Christopher Brauchli It was déjà vue all over again. -- attributed to Yogi Berra That was then; this is now. Thank goodness. It would be a pity if history were to repeat itself. It would suggest we weren't smart enough to learn from experience. "Then" began in 1950 with the establishment of the United States Military Assistance Advisory Group that was established to supervise the issuance and employment of $10 million in military equipment to help the French legionnaires who were fighting in Vietnam. By 1953 an additional $350 million had been provided. In January 1955 American advisers arrived in Saigon to help train the South Vietnamese army. From 1955 through 1960 the United States had between 750 and 1,500 military advisers helping the South Vietnamese government. On May 11, 1961, President Kennedy approved sending 400 Special Forces and an additional 100 military advisers to South Vietnam. By December 1961 there were 3,205 military advisers on the ground suppor...